(electronic beeping)
(bubbles)
(men speaking softly)
(bubbles)
The ship is ready for diving with
the exception of staging cups.
[Male Submariner] Very well done.
[Richard] Anybody would tell you that it's
a very difficult challenge bringing
a submarine out of the shipyard.
[Man On Radio] Dive, dive,
(gentle music)
(alarm sounds)
(bell chimes)
[Male Submariner] Venting forward.
It's an even bigger challenge taking
a crew that hasn't operated in three or more years.
Especially a crew that's never been out to sea.
To turn around and go out to sea
and be able to function as a full crew,
and be able to operate the submarine
safely in and out of port.
(men speaking softly)
I really wanna say how proud I am of the crew.
I am humbled on a daily basis by
their exertions and the work they
put into getting the ship to where we are,
and moving the ball down the field
so that we get Maine back to strategic service,
where the nation needs her.
The benefits of the Engineered Refueling Overhaul
process is that it allows the ship to extend it's
hull life, and it allows the nation
to keep the strategic asset in service
for a much longer time.
It also allows the navy to modernize
an asset and allow the ship to be capable,
and be able to stay into the high-end fight,
which is really what we're looking
for from our naval assets today.
The DASO process is really how we certify
that all that is completed correctly and properly
when we come out on the other end.
Maine's return to service is a significant event
for the Pacific fleet, and the navy in general.
Just gives us the one more SSBN out, being there
on the front lines in case anything happens,
and giving our opponents just that
deterrence and that second question of
should I do what I'm about to do?
I will be the one pulling the
to do it, so I feel very fortunate.
I feel very blessed to be on this crew, on this boat.
I feel that I've been very fortunate
to serve with the men and women that I have.
And I definitely would not be able
to do my job without everyone that
I have the honor of serving with here on the Maine.
Time is T-minus three-zero minutes and counting.
I think what I'm looking forward
to the most is actually going out
for actual DASO, and doing the actual
missile launch, and having all those
junior guys get to experience it for the first time.
I haven't actually shot a missile yet either,
so I'm very excited for that,
and returning the Maine to operational service.
Man battle station missile for DASO launch,
Cue the watch, sound the general alarm,
(alarm beeping)
(men speak quietly)
(alarm beeping)
I've launched misses before, but
I'm more so excited to see these new
up and coming sailors actually
experience this for the first time,
and actually get to do their job,
because this isn't something that
missile techs get to do that often.
This is the Captain, The launch of
a DASO missile has been directed.
There's not that many of us technicians
that actually do launch missiles,
and it's a very nervous kind of feeling,
but I'm very excited to do it, very prepared.
[Man On radio] (mumbles)
(mumbles)
Supervisor weapons, initiate fire,
Initiate fire,
(mumbles) permission to fire,
(mumbles)
Permission to fire,
10 seconds,
I think for the Maine to get
back on the front lines and actually
go out there to support the fleet
would mean a lot to them. It would kinda
give them a break and say, "okay you know what,
there's another submarine out there
that can take up some of the slack."
[Man On Radio] (mumbles) away,
First missile away,
Missile away,
(dramatic orchestral music)
A lot of people kinda forget
that sailors are people and that
they have lives outside of the navy,
out of the Maine, and while they
have been said about by the support
groups that they have back home,
and their support back home, and their
sacrifice at home, I can't thank them enough.
I am looking forward to getting back to my family,
I am looking forward to talk
to my loved ones, my friends and family.
Getting back to be being a strategic asset
means getting back to normal.
It means I can sleep, or I can stand my watch,
or I can just kinda be a regular submariner.
Having a consistent schedule,
and having an off-crew period to work on my golf game,
regaining our crew's lounge,
doing my job and putting what I learned to use.
Help out and pick up some of
that alert coverage, to be able to
do our responsibility so that our
friends on the other submarines
can get home and not have to stay out so long.
Supporting the DoD's mission
and getting back to protecting the United States people.
I'm very excited to get back to strategic patrol.
I've seen the process all the way through,
and I will always remember the Maine.
(calming music)